Hong by Starlight: Sea Cave Kayaking and Loy Krathong Floating

Name: Hong by Starlight: Sea Cave Kayaking and Loy Krathong Floating
Brand: Trip Store Krabi
Price: 120.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.92 (1244 reviews)

4.9 (1,240+ verified reviews)

A guide paddles a yellow inflatable canoe with two guests beneath a jagged cave overhang

Guests with bags waiting beside a silver minivan for the hotel transfer

Guests boarding a two-deck escort boat with yellow sea kayaks stacked on the lower deck

A guide briefs guests on the covered deck beside a buffet of Thai dishes and fruit

View from a boat's bow toward distant limestone islands under building clouds

About This Experience

Hong by Starlight is an afternoon-into-evening sea cave tour in Phang Nga Bay, sold on Viator by the reseller Trip Store Krabi. It meets at Ao Po Pier on Phuket’s north-east coast, with hotel transfers included anywhere on Phuket island, the airport included, and the whole outing runs about 10 hours. It costs from $120 per person (checked November 2026) and is rated 4.9 from 1,240+ reviews.

The focus is the hongs, collapsed cave chambers open to the sky, reached by sea kayak through low caves. The listing describes limestone caves and hidden cliff-lined lagoons, which it says John Gray discovered in 1989, explored with an experienced guide in SOTAR sea kayaks with a dry bag. Reviewers describe the crew working the kayaks through the caves while guests sit back, and one mentions Hong Island Cave, so expect Ko Hong inside Phang Nga Bay, not the Hong Islands off Krabi. The tide decides which caves are open.

Between paddles you return to an escort boat, where lunch and dinner are served with bottled water, herbal tea and seasonal fruit; the listing describes a Thai seafood buffet. After dark each guest floats a krathong, a small flower float they make themselves, and reviewers rate the candlelit release as the high point of the evening. One reviewer also saw glowing plankton, but the listing does not promise it, so treat any glow as a bonus.

The main drawback for anyone set on the classic sights: the listing does not mention a stop at James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) or Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar. If that photo stop is the goal, the Twilight Sea Canoe tour visits James Bond Island after most boats have left; see our review. The day is also long, ending after dark, and the price is higher than most daytime big-boat tours.

The national park entrance fee is included, along with basic accident insurance, a life jacket and an English-speaking guide. Pickup is not offered from remote parts of Phang Nga or from private villas and rentals, and the program can change with weather and sea conditions. It is not recommended for pregnant travelers or anyone with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

Highlights

Kayak through low sea caves into hongs, lagoons open to the sky
Explore cliff-lined lagoons in Phang Nga Bay at water level
Make your own krathong and float it on the water after dark
Watch the bay change from afternoon light to dusk from the escort boat
Look for glowing plankton after sunset, a bonus reviewers mention but nobody promises

What's Included

✓ Hotel round-trip transfer anywhere on Phuket island, airport included
✓ National park entrance fee
✓ Lunch, dinner, bottled water, herbal tea and seasonal fruit
✓ SOTAR sea kayaks with a dry bag and life jacket
✓ Professional English-speaking guide
✓ Basic accident insurance

Not Included

Hotel pickup from remote locations in Phang Nga
Pickup from private villas and rentals
A James Bond Island stop (not part of the listed program)

What to Bring

Swimwear or quick-dry clothes for the kayaks
Sunscreen and a hat for the afternoon
A light layer for after dark
Phone or camera (a dry bag is provided)

Good to Know & Caveats

Park fee: included, according to the listing.
Seller: sold on Viator by the reseller Trip Store Krabi.
No James Bond Island: the listed program does not include Khao Phing Kan or Ko Ta Pu.
Kayaks: the listing provides SOTAR sea kayaks and a guide, and reviewers describe the crew working the kayaks; the tide decides which caves are open.
Plankton: not promised in the listing; sightings depend on conditions.
Timing: about 10 hours, finishing after dark; the exact meeting time is confirmed by email after booking.
Weather: the program can change with weather and sea conditions.
Availability: Viator's schedule showed open dates from 12 November 2026 when we checked in November 2026.

Not Suitable For

Pregnant travelers
Travelers with spinal injuries
Travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Meeting Point

Meet at Ao Po Pier on Phuket's north-east coast, or take the included hotel transfer; the exact time is confirmed by email after booking.

What Travelers Say

Rated 4.9/5 by 1,240+ verified Viator travelers.

This experience was incredible from start to finish! Our tour guide was amazing and explained what to expect at each step of the journey. Delicious lunch and dinner provided on board! We were taken around multiple beautiful sights on our kayak by our guide Adam who was delightful and very well informed. I would highly recommend doing this!
— Christy B, Oct 2026

We had a brilliant time kayaking in and out of lagoons and caves. Floated a flower display in the bat cave and the sight of the luminescent plankton was a bonus. Lunch and dinner on board with fantastic variety of food. Big shoutouttoSonnyourguideand Zinourkayakcaptain
— Lance M, Sep 2026

Best experience so far ! The guides and crew were amazing. The whole trip was a cultural experience to never forget. The candlelight ceremony at dusk was amazing.
— Crystal G, Aug 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Hong by Starlight visit James Bond Island?

No stop at James Bond Island (Khao Phing Kan) appears in the listing. The program centers on sea caves, hongs and lagoons, meals on the escort boat and the krathong float after dark. If seeing Ko Ta Pu, the nail-shaped limestone pillar, matters, pick a tour that lists the stop, such as the Twilight Sea Canoe tour in our review.

Who sells this tour?

On Viator it is sold by Trip Store Krabi, a reseller. The listing describes the caves and lagoons as discovered by John Gray in 1989 and lists Caveman’s SOTAR sea kayaks among the inclusions, but it does not name a separate operator. Your booking confirmation carries the contact details and the meeting time.

Is the park fee included?

Yes. The listing includes the national park entrance fee, plus lunch, dinner, bottled water, herbal tea, seasonal fruit, kayak equipment with a dry bag, a life jacket, an English-speaking guide, basic accident insurance and hotel transfers anywhere on Phuket island, including the airport.

Will I see bioluminescent plankton?

Maybe, but do not count on it. The listing does not mention plankton; one recent reviewer called the glowing plankton a bonus. Sightings depend on conditions such as moonlight and the water, and no tour can guarantee them. The krathong float after dark is the planned evening event.

What is a krathong float?

A krathong is a small flower float carrying a candle. On this tour each guest makes one and releases it on the water after dark, which the listing calls Loy Krathong floating. Reviewers describe the candle-float ceremony at dusk as a highlight of the evening.

How long is the day?

About 10 hours including transfers. It starts in the afternoon at Ao Po Pier and ends after dark, and the exact meeting time is confirmed by email after you book. Hotel transfers cover all of Phuket island and the airport, but not remote parts of Phang Nga or private villas.